Man charged in pregnant woman's death

June 04, 2009

Authorities tonight charged a Hanover Park man with murder in the beating that left his girlfriend and her unborn child dead early Thursday.

Rafael Alvarado, 32, of the 1700 block of Linden Avenue, has been charged with one count of first-degree murder and another count of of intentional homicide of an unborn child, according to Hanover Park police.

Dead was Norma Favela, 31, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Favela was about seven months pregnant and had two other children, Hanover Park Mayor Rodney Craig said.

Officers were called to the Linden address about 12:30 a.m. Thursday, said Deputy Police Chief David Webb.

Investigators look into the death of a woman in a possible homicide in Hanover Park on the 1700 block of Linden Avenue this morning. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

The Major Case Assistance Team assisted in the case, he said.

A source said earlier that there had been a death in the incident and two people were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Webb declined to release any other details about the case throughout the day. Meanwhile, neighbors gossiped with reporters and amongst themselves about what might have happened.

Craig, the mayor, said the death was "an awful situation. ... It's hard to manage these events but we have to try to help people when they are stressed out and let them know that murder isn't the answer."

He said the suspect tried to escape but was apprehended in Melrose Park. Craig also said there were witnesses to the incident.